Take a chance
by NyaaRin
Summary: Sougo had a rocky road of relationship with his son, Could they settle everything with a fair conversation? I don't think so... Want to know more? Be my guest and read this guys :D (An epilogue of Tracing Footprints)


A/N: Yush! Hi minna! This story will be the epilogue of my story Tracing Footprints (For those who have read Tracing Footprints 'til the very end, Thank you so very much!) And as a response to the request of a certain reader out there (HI :D) I thought why not? That's why I'm bringing out this story for you to read :) Hope you'll like it minna! :*

 **Disclaimer: Gintama was not mine, all rights reserved for sir Hideaki Sorachi *salute!***

 **Take a Chance**

~Tracing Footprints' epilogue~

*Normal P.O.V*

"Nhe, Nhe, Sou-chan! Tell us about your Mom and Dad!" Homura, one of Souichirou's nagging classmate, demanded,

The sandy-headed lad looked at him for a second, then shifted his eyes on the book he was reading, ignoring the plea of his friend,

"Come on Sou-chan!" Some of his classmates plead in unison, which in return, all received a glare from the boy,

"Why do you have to ask me about something so stupid as that question?" He said not looking at any one of them,

"Because your parents were awesome!" Nagisa, one of his classmates exclaimed with eyes shimmering like diamonds, "Not to mention your Dad!"

Souchirou's flipping of pages stopped when he heard her, he clicked his tongue and closed his book, without a word he carried his bag and was about to leave the room when he stopped and replied,

" _He_ doesn't even have time for me, _How could he become awesome_?" And then he left,

His classmates remained at their places, astonished by the face he just showed them, a painful expression containing a lot of anger and sadness,

"Sou-Chan's expression just now…." Nagisa pin points, "He looks so hurt."

"Let's just leave him be…" Homura said as he scratched his nape,

While walking along the streets, Souichirou noticed a paddle forming on the road; he stopped midway to see his reflection,

Many people say he looks like a younger version of his Dad, A sandy colored flaxen hair, A calm and collected personality, a fish-dead eyes, he's just his Father's splitting image back when he was a kid, except for his eyes, which he have inherited from his mother, a deep shade of cerulean blue eyes that reflects the color of the sky…

He clenched his fist and stepped on the paddle and continue walking,

 _Why do I have to look just like him..?_

A buzzing silence greeted Souichirou as he entered their house, passing through the iving room he saw his sister, Kira, playing with her toys, beside her was their mother, sleeping soundly in the couch,

He paused there for a while as he marveled his eyes towards the scenario he was seeing, until his sister recognized his presence and ran towards him, giving him a hug,

"Welcome home Sou-nii-!"

"Shh, Kira.." he whispered and kissed his sister's forehead, he gestured that he'll just go upstairs and get something, which in return, his sister nods as a sign of approvement,

On his way towards the stairs he saw Shinpachi on the kitchen,

"Welcome home Souichirou-kun…" His _uncle_ greeted,

The young lad just nods and went upstairs, after a couple of minutes he went down with a blanket on his hands and put it on his mother, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek,

"I'm home Mami…" he whispered,

He helped his sister arrange her toys and carried her into his arms and went to the kitchen,

"Is Okita-san going to be home here to share a dinner? What do you Souichirou-kun?"

The boy flinched as he heard his Uncle's question; he clenched his fist and just helped his sister arrange the table;

"He's busy, _always busy_ …" he muttered,

Shinpachi stopped mixing the contents of the pot for a while and sighed,

"Okita-san can't make it today too huh? I-I see…"

He tried to brighten up the mood,

Once he finished cooking, Shinpachi faced the two and ordered Kira to go and wake their mother up, Kira obeyed and left the dining room, making Souichirou and Shinpachi stay, just the two of them;

Shinpachi was about to sit down when a familiar silver head was already occupying the sit next to Souichirou and has already scoped a handful of rice in his plate.

"Gin-san!/ Danna!" Shinpachi and Souichirou exclaimed,

Gintoki flashed his infamous grin, "Yo Bastards!" he greeted,

"W-W-W-What are you doing here!? Do Tsukkuyo-san know!?" Shinpachi shouted,

"Calm your horses down Patsuan! My wife went to see Hinowa for some reason, and is it wrong to visit Kagura for a while? And more importantly… YOU!" He said as he pointed his finger towards Souichirou-kun,

"Me?" Souichirou raised an eyebrow,

"Yeah, you…" Gintoki said as he lifted his plate demanding for seconds,

"What's up with me Danna?" Souichirou asked,

"Stop being too emo kid, your father might be one hell of a sadistic bastard but he's a good guy… well, atleast…" Gintoki said,

"He may be a good guy for you, but him being our father, was just too unbelievable to say that he's good at being one…" Souichirou bowed his head down,

"He doesn't have time for us, he's always busy… he gets home everyday very late, and whenever he got day offs, he will just sleep there on their room for a whole day… he's sloppy, so self-centered, annoying-!"

"You really dislike your father huh?" Gintoki cut his way in,

"…." Souichirou remained silent as Gintoki throws that question at him,

Shinpachi tries to lighten up the mood when suddenly Kagura opens the door of the kitchen, holding Kira's hand, rubbing her eye, she yawned,

"Eh? Gin-chan? Shinpachi?"

"K-Kagura-chan, I'm glad you're up now, let's eat!" Shinpachi greeted,

Gintoki leaned towards Souichirou and whispered something, which in return Sou-kun nods,

The dinner ended with Gin-chan being held by the ear by Tsukkuyo-san as she came to pick her "useless husband" and made their way towards their own house,

"Well then, I think I have to go too Kagura…" Shinpachi smiled as he ruffled Souichirou and Kira's hair, "Take good care of your mother and sister now Souichirou-kun okay?" He said,

"Yeah.." Sou-kun replied,

Not for long Shinpachi finally left and the three stood there in front of their house as they watch Shinpachi's figure vanish into the horizon,

"Uncle Shinpachi can be a good mother and dad someday…" Souichirou muttered,

Kagura gazed on her son and patted his head, "Now, Now, Sou-chan… let's go inside now, the wind's getting chilly now…"

As Kagura locked their door, Souichirou carried his sleeping sister upstairs and put her on her bed, he silently closes the door and went to the sink to brush his teeth, he passed through their living room and saw his mother eating sokunbo while watching T.V;

"You better sleep now too, Sou-chan…" She smiled as he rubbed her son's hair,

"Are you waiting for Father Mami?" Souichirou asked as he sat down at her Mother's side,

"Yeah…" Kagura responds,

"…." A breath of silence filled the background until Kagura breaks it…

"I heard your little debate with Gin-chan a while ago…" she initiated, making Sou-kun flinch,

"T-That's uh… I…" Souichirou stuttered,

Kagura piched his cheeks and smiled, "It's okay to say what's on your heart sometimes, but if your father heard those things I think he'll be really hurt…"

Souichirou glanced towards his mother,

"Your father may be very busy and all, because he's a police, a shinsegumi, but Sou-chan… he is still your father…"

"But he doesn't even show that he cares about us…"

"That's what you think… That's what you have written on your mind; just give him a chance okay?"

Souichirou covered his eyes, trying to contain his emotions,

"He's a sadist, alright? He have a terrible way of showing his care and love to all of you, he's self-centered, egocentric, arrogant, vain-!"

"Uhh, Mami?'

Souichirou moved an inch as he saw his Mami's dark aura rising on the background,

As Kagura came into her senses, she laughed and blushed unto his actions as veins popped out of her forehead, remembering the rivalry she had with her husband,

"But…"

Soucihirou looked at his mom, mesmerized by the dazzling pink dash running from her ears and cheeks,

"He's the person who's willing to throw away everything and risk his life just to protect the people he loves…"

For a moment Sou-kun could feel his heart skipped a bit as he heard his mother's description of their father;

"Why?" he absentmindedly said,

Kagura looked at her son,

"Why do Father, doesn't show those qualities to us?"

He's in verge of tears but he inhaled and held it back,

Kagura hugged her son and rest her chin on his shoulder,

"Because you're closing your eyes before you could see it for yourself Sou-chan…"

Can't contain the loneliness he's feeling anymore, he cried,

He cried until he finally slept on his mother's embrace,

A click of the door waked Kagura up, it was already 2:03 am, she get on her feet to see who it was, when a hand snaked unto her waist and pulled her for a kiss… on the forehead,

"Sorry to wake you up, China…"

Okita rst his head unto his wife's shoulder, eyes half-lidded he smiled,

"Mouh, Sadist! You scared me!" Kagura did a little jab on her husband,

"I'm sorry, hahaha," he laughed, "Where are the children?" he asked,

"*Sigh* They're obviously sleeping…"

Sougo scratched his nape, "Guess I was late again huh?"

Kagura smiled and shrugged, and hugged her husband from behind, "Go, take Souichirou to his room, I have something to discuss about, before we go to sleep…"

"What about?" Sougo yawned as he carries Souichirou on his back and went upstairs,

"That guy's really something he's asking question and he left just before I could say the answer,…" Kagura muttered,

"So what is it?" Sougo can't help but yawn again, trying to fight his drowsiness as he sat beside his wife,

"It's about Souichirou…" Kagura confessed,

"I think I know what you wanted to say…" Sougo did a little smirk, trying to hide his frustrations,

"Well… I just…" Kagura can't put on words what she wanted to say as she saw Sougo's reaction,

"I think I'm a worthless Father afterall…" Sougo tried to smile,

"What are you saying?" Kagura slap his arm, "You're not, you're just being too distant…"

Sougo rubbed his wife's head,

"You're just having a trouble showing your feelings right? You have always been that, You're just insecure that you can't meet their expectations, but you're obviously running away because of fear… Aren't you?"

"Fear? Well, that's new…" Sougo was deep in his reverence, as Kagura continues,

"I don't want to see those faces you and Souichirou make, so please…" Kagura looked at her husband's eyes, "Just for once…"

She held his hands and intertwined her fingers to his, "Show them this…" and she pointed out his chest, "Most especially Souichirou…"

"Arghhh I really hate it when you make that kind of face China…" He sighed, he raised his hand with Kagura's hand intertwined with it and kissed it, "I hate doing what you're ordering me to do, but this one's something I just can't ignore…"

"That means…?" Kagura was lost in daze as she tries to understand her husband's words,

Sougo smiled and rest his head on Kagura's shoulder, "If you get it then let me sleep now China…"

"Eh? Here?" Kagura tries to move him, but he stays firm and stopped her, "Just this once…?" he yawned and fell asleep,

Kagura brushed away his locks covering his face, and placed her head unto his, "Goodnight… Papi…" she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep,

"Okay! Wake up now you lazy bastard!"

A resounding voice buzzed through Souichirou's ears, he covered it with his hand and went to sleep again,

Sougo opened his curtains and the sun rays peeked over illuminating Sou-kun's half asleep eyes,

"WHAT THE- OUCH!" He jump off of his bed as he rushed towards the corner and picked his parasol, the sun sizzles his skin like what a yato could feel,

He was about to go berserk when he recognized the figure who wake him up,

 _N-No way!_

He exclaimed on his head as he rubbed his eyes trying to make sure it was really _him,_

"Father!?" he pointed out as his eyes grow wide,

"No it's not him, he have work right now, so who's this? He's clone? When did he have a clone? He's spirit? Wait? What?!" he continuously nibbled on his fingernails as he tried to clear all the fuss going on his head,

Until a scabbard hit his head,

"Meet me at the dining room as soon as possible slow poke!" Okita smirk and left,

Souichirou remained unshaken as he watch his father leave his room,

"What kind of miracle did just happen here?!" he raised an eyebrow,

While eating he can't take off his glance away from his father,

"Don't look so intently like that to me…" Sougo's veins were visible on his forehead as he said that,

Souichirou poked his fingertips,

 _He's really real; it's neither an illusion nor a hologram!_

Souichirou thought as he wandered his eyes on his father,

Until a paper fan hit his head, "You're being too nonsense! Finish your food, we're going somewhere!" Sougo exclaimed,

Rubbing his bump on his head, Sou-kun asked: "Where's Mami and Kira?"

"They went to Danna's house for a while, your mother told me they have some errands to do…"

"I see…"

An awkward silence filled the air again,

"There's so many questions I wanted to ask you about Dad…"

"Just finish your food and get dress…" Sougo ordered as he continues to wash the dishes left on the kitchen,

Souichirou looked at his father and just obeyed,

Within a couple of minutes they've arrived on their destination, Sougo tossed out a wooden stick towards his son and ordered him,

"You said you have many questions you wanted me to answer right?"

Souichirou nods as he positioned himself,

"If you hit me with that stick, I'll answer every question you'll throw…"

Souichirou's eyes widened, recovering from the shock he clenched his hands on the bokuto and position himself unto his fighting stance,

"Deal."

*Pak!*

A brawl start between the father and son, sword clashes with each other as Sougo swiftly dodge, block and counterattack every hit Souichirou will make,

"Is that all you got Souichirou!?" He taunted as he smirk,

Souichirou wiped his sweat and quickly stepped to attack,

"I…Will…Make…You…spill…everything DAD!" He promised as he continuously try to hit his father,

Seeing how dedicated his son is, Sougo just can't help but smile,

While dodging his attacks Sougo didn't notice the rock on his back and tripped over it making him sit down the ground, Souivhirou take this opportunity to hit him but he failed as Sougo quickly blocked it,

"Too slow…" he smirked,

"Think again Dad…" Souichirou smirked in unison as he punched his father's abdomen with his other hand,

"That's considered as a hit ain't it Dad?" he slyly grin, Sougo cursed as he saw his son's triumphant grin,

"Okay, then let me hear your question." Sougo said as he dusted his pants,

"Is being away from us makes you lonely?" he asked with his head down,

"What's with that sudden question?"

"Dad, don't answer me with another question…" Souichirou tried to smile,

"Fine, but I think you already know the answer to that…"

Souichirou clenched his hand on the wooden sword and gritted his teeth,

"Tell it to me directly so that I won't assume such nonsense things…"

He is shaking but fighting it he looks straightly to his father's eyes,

"I need to hear you say those words so that I could believe…"

He shouted and attack his father, but before he could hit him, a sudden "BANG!" resounded on the area,

A running man appeared on the park, and grab a hold of Souichirou who was just about to run towards his father,

"GET OUT OF MY WAY OR ELSE I'LL BLOW THIS KID UP!" He exclaimed waving a button on his right hand and on his other hand is Souichirou,

"WARNING! THAT GUY IMPLANTED A BOMB ON HIS BODY! GET SOMEWHERE SAFE EVERYONE!"

A number of cheap bakufu polices gathered around the area, just where Sougo and Souichirou are standing,

"Get your filthy hands off of my son…" Sougo tries to control his frustrations as the thief slyly grins,

Souichirou shivers as he hears a ticking from somewhere,

"Heh, why would I do what you say?"

Sougo's eyes squinted and pointed his sword towards the man,

"Because I'll make sure that you'll meet hell in no time if you ever hurt that boy!" his eyes were deadly,

Souichirou stared at his father,

 _ **Is being away from us makes you lonely?**_

 _ **I think you already know the answer to that…**_

 _What answer do you mean by that Father?_

He asked inside of him, looking how his father loss his cool because of him getting caught is something unusual for Souichirou to ever comprehend,

 _Do you care about us?_

 _Do you love us?_

 _Do you despise us?_

 _Are we a burden?_

 _Are we not special for you?_

 _There's so many things I wanted to ask you father._

 _So many questions I wanted you to answer,_

 _So many words I wanted to hear directly from you,_

 _I wouldn't let myself die here until…_

Souichirou bit the man's arm and jumped, he grab his captor's head and do a back flip, giving an impact as he slammed the thief's head on the ground,

He landed on his feet and faced his opponent,

"What's with you, kid?" the burglar asked as he tried to stood up,

"I'm just a kid with a blood of a yato and a samurai running on his veins…" Souichirou smirked as he stepped back and faced his father, who's smirking alongside him,

"Nice speech you have there," Sougo complimented,

"The only opponent who could match me…" Souichirou get on his fighting stance, "Is you Father…"

But before he could move closer to his father, Sougo shoved him and clashes his sword with the knife the thief tried to bury on his back,

"Didn't I say I'll make sure that you'll meet hell in no time if you ever hurt that boy!?" he grins as he lifted his sword making the knife flew away and change it on its dull end and slashed it on the thief's body, breaking the connectors on his abdomen and before it could explode Sougo throw it on the mid air and used his sword to hit the bomb making it flew away on the sky and explode,

"Strike~" he sang as he watched the little particles of the bomb fly away on the open air,

The people around them clapped in awe,

"That's what a shinsengumi for you!" one of the people cheered,

Souichirou watched as the crowd goes wild, he glanced over his father who's negotiating with the cheap cops of the bakufu as he handed down the thief over to them,

And for the first he admitted to himself, that his dad was really _cool_ back there,

Until his eyes fixated on something lying on the ground,

He picked it up and his eyes widened on itself as he saw it,

An awkward silence filled their background as they took the route towards their house,

"About the question you've aske-!"

Sougo tried to break the ice when Souichirou stopped him,

"I already know the answer Dad…"

"What?" Sougo raised an eyebrow,

Souichirou stopped walking and pulled out the thing he saw on the ground before,

"It's your wallet right Dad?" his head was down,

But he could tell that his father was surprised when he took the wallet from him,

"W-When did it…" Sougo stuttered,

"It fell on the ground after you've fought that burglar…" Souichirou replied, "So I picked it up and saw something inside…"

"You saw?" a single sweat dropped from Sougo's chin,

"Yeah…"

Silence filled the background again,

"Forgive me for being so stubborn Dad, for being too doubtful… For hating you…"

Souichirou lifted his head to face his father, tears were already flooding on his eyes,

"For being a hypocrite, for believing on the things I just see with my naked eyes…"

As he said those words, his tears were already falling, making Sougo's heart throb,

"I've always thought you're egocentric Dad…. That you don't even see us as a family… But…" He wiped his tears,

"Seeing how you treasure that family picture as you keep that in your wallet just makes me realize my wrongs…" he hiccupped, "Dad… I'm so-!"

Sougo kneel down and ruffled his son's hair, "A true man doesn't cry Souichirou…" he smiled,

"*Hic!* Y-You're one to talk Father…" He chuckled as he saw his father's eyes,

"Your tears were *hic* about to fall…" he laughed,

"W-What?! No way!? Are you kidding me?!" Sougo denied as he faced the other way and secretly wiped the flooding tears on his eyes, "The dust just got on my eyes that's all!"

"Whatever Dad… Whatever…" Souichirou laughed,

"But seriously… I owe you an answer…" Sougo brings up,

"Huh?" Souichirou tilted his head,

"I wanted to make sure you are all safe that's why I'm always on duty Souichirou…"

"What do you mean?" The boy asked as he arched an eyebrow,

"It was lonely, yes, but I'm afraid to lose something precious to me again, thinking of that right now makes me shiver, ever since your mother suddenly disappeared 8 years ago, I felt fear, so I promised to myself that I wouldn't let that happen anymore… I don't want any of you to disappear again, I don't want to see any of you get hurt, but I think that trying to protect you in this kind of way, hurts you all more than what I'm inclining to do… instead of protecting I ended up hurting you…"

Sougo could feel his heart throbbed remembering Kagura's despair 8 years ago,

Souichirou could tell how hurt his Father was, he sets his eye on his fist and punch her father again on his stomach, Making Sougo groan in pain,

"That's for hurting us Dad, now we're even!" He smiled,

Sougo looked back at him and smirked, "You, really are my son…" He sighed,

He reached out a hand,

"Let's go home…?" He said,

Souichirou looked at his hand and back to his father,

"I'm 7 years old now Father, I'm old enough to stand on my own and protect those things important to me, as a big brother and as the eldest one, I'll protect mother and Kira alongside you Papi…" he grinned,

Sougo smiled and fist bumped with his son, "That's a promise then…"

"Promise!"

"We're home!" Kagura and Kira exclaimed as they open the door,

"….."

A resounding silence filled the background, Kagura and Kira looked at each other and went inside, they peeked over the living room and was shocked to see the whole room in mess, but the thing that caught their very eyes and made them say 'awww' is the figure of a man and a boy sleeping soundly in the couch,

A father and son with heads resting side by side as they sleep so soundly not minding the world for a while…

-The End


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